UN Seeks to 'Bring Multilateralism Back' as it Adopts 'Pact for the Future'
The Facts
The UN General Assembly on Sunday adopted a "Pact for the Future" — a non-binding agreement that Secretery General António Guterres described as a "step-change towards more effective, inclusive, networked multilateralism."
"We are here to bring multilateralism back from the brink," Guterres added.
The Spin
Crises across the world have highlighted the need to reform the UN with greater multilateralism to make the body work better for its members. This is a foundational pact that strengthens the institutions of the UN and better prepares it for the challenges of the future.
While this is an ambitious plan to bring much-needed reform to the UN, there is skepticism about whether its non-binding nature will yield the results it promises — namely as UN member states are already violating the UN charter on a daily basis.
The text of this pact was not fully agreed before its adoption and did not include key passages that Russia, alongside other countries, called for. As such, Russia is distancing itself from this agreement.
